Pangaea Guides

Professional Sea Kayak and Glacier Guides

Pangaea Adventures hires to the highest standards and focuses on guides with a great balance of experience, safety, friendly personality, and education. Our guides care about the overall experience of every guest and strive to balance recreation and education. Each guide practices "leave no trace" ethics and creates a comfortable atmosphere for all levels of kayakers. Each head guide is trained in advanced wilderness medicine and rescue. Their backgrounds are all in guiding and teaching. We hire adults who are personable, friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, patient, responsible, and safe.

Tim Duffy aka "Duff"

Duff has several years of experience guiding paddling, backpacking and ski-mountaineering trips throughout Alaska. Originally a Maine-ah, Duff ski guides winters in Nevada, explores the world on vacation, and is also one of our boat captains. You can sit back and enjoy the cruise with Duff while he throws fun facts at you and sometimes even raps them. He acquired the company in 2008 and says the Valdez vistas still have him in awe.

Kristina Duffy

A native to the Chicago area, Kristina joins us for her sixth season as the office manager for Pangaea. She graduated with a double BA in Environmental Studies and Spanish from Lake Forest College outside of the great city, and has since spent her time roaming the U.S. and Latin America. Ask her about exploring Machu Picchu, starting an organic farm at LFC, or learning first hand about immigration issues at the U.S./Mexico border. She’s done all these things! You can also ask her all about Pangaea Adventures, or about how she’s enjoyed her transition to the Land of the Midnight Sun.

Dave Scott

Hailing from Idaho, Captain Dave loves being out on the water as much as he loves potatoes. He’s actually a retired nurse and an aspiring photographer, and is as mechanically savvy behind the helm as he is mentally stimulating around the table. Ask Dave all about the history of Valdez or about the wildlife of the Sound, or check out some of his amazing photos sometime. In the off season, you can find Dave driving fan boats and gator hunting through the mangroves of southwest Florida.

Jesse Dunlap

Meet Jesse; he’s probably one of the coolest, kindest people you will ever meet. This guy has lived everywhere from New York to Japan and even California. Jesse has an unmistakable love for the outdoors and taking people out exploring. After completing the Pacific Crest Trail (yeah, he’s the real deal), Jesse gave tours of New York City and managed a candy store before realizing his true calling was sea kayaking and glacier hiking in Alaska. His knowledge of our area is quite extensive and his delivery is unmatched!

Nelson Bandy

Originally from Ohio, Nelson is an aspiring Arctic Tern who migrated to Alaska for the summer after completing a National Outdoor Leadership School Semester in Patagonia. A self proclaimed “burrito bandit,” he survives the rugged northern summer on a diet of refried beans, pancakes, and jelly beans. His time spent chasing daylight has left him with an inexhaustible supply of energy and positivity that ensures a stellar day of sea kayaking or hiking up Worthington Glacier with him as your guide. Nelson studied geology at Carleton College and is still crazy about it today. Be sure to ask him about metamorphic rocks and glaciology. There is a positive and fun buzz that radiates from Nelson, and any trip with him is sure to be a blast!

Brian Herbig

This classic New Yorker hails from the Adirondacks. He arrived an intern, and quickly showed unmistakable interest and prowess in all aspects of what we do. More than anything, Big Boy is just a genuine pleasure to be around. He keeps an upbeat attitude and evinces an honest interest in teaching people about our area. When he's not juggling calls in the office or leading guests on trips, Brian can be found fishing, slack lining, rock climbing, gardening, taking awesome photos, playing guitar, flexing his carpentry skills, or reading a good book. Ladies, did I mention his cooking skills? Let Big Boy take you by surpise as he guides you for the ultimate Alaskan experience.

Will Shepard

Count yourself fortunate if you score Sick Willy as your guide, as he is one of the kindest, most genuine people you will ever meet. Radiating fun and positivity, Will is filled to the brim with a plethora of knowledge and is eager to share his love for the area with everyone around him. Feel free to ask him how he broke his knee last summer, what his favorite scooter tricks are, or how to warm up with the Penguin Dance. Sharp guy and stout cog in the machine of Pangaea Adventures!

Emily Renzini

This ray of sunshine has many obsessions but her top ones would have to be: swimming, nachos, Idaho, and extra spicy food! Her love for potatoes lead her to attend the University of Idaho where she earned a bachelors degree in Outdoor Recreation and Leadership and also captained the swim team. During that time she discovered her love for rafting and has been guiding white water ever since. Whether on the water, at bear camp, or tending bar, Emily has an uncanny ability to make everyone around her feel at ease.

Emma Houston

Easy E is one of those gals that you always want on your team. She's got more experience under her (tow)belt than most folks twice her age. An Environmental Studies and Ecology major from the University of Maine, Emma joins Pangaea for yet another summer as our lead guide, and has also evolved into our beloved manager. Growing up in a family of raft guides, Emma learned water safety and paddle techniques at a young age. When she’s not practicing her rolls, leading multi sport adventures, or helping others learn the ropes, Emma enjoys running, skiing, berry picking, a good book, and exploring the world. She’s fun, sweet, wicked sharp, and she’ll blow your mind with her knowledge of Alaska!

Nick DelPrete

If you happen to get a trip with Nick, you will be in luck. He owned a kayaking company at the age of sixteen! He is now a pro kayak guide, river rafting guide, and even a badass skier. What an expert! Nick moved from Massachusetts to Montana and then up to Alaska in the hopes of finding his favorite animal, the horned puffin. As you paddle together, he can tell you about Dungeons and Dragons, whiskey old fashioneds, and even how he broke his nose four different times. Nick has accomplished a lot, but his proudest moment was winning the award for most alluring drivers license. Ask to take a peek!

Hannah McGowan

Hailing from Memphis, TN, Hannah came to Valdez for the first time as an intern with Pangaea in the summer of 2007. Mystified by the grandeur of Prince William Sound and fascinated by its rich biodiversity, she has returned to Pangaea for many summers to share this unique place with others as a lead guide and trainer. She has pursued studies in marine ecology and wilderness leadership at Prescott College, so she is psyched and well equipped to nerd out about sea life, especially whales and intertidal invertebrates. Since graduating, she has fallen in love with rock and mountain climbing, turning her attention to desert splitters, granite masses, and icy massifs between ski seasons, which she usually spends skiing up and down the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. Feeling the pull of the great north and it's rugged coastline, she often emerges from the landlocked mountains and deserts to return to us in Prince William Sound.

Sam Benoit

Hailing from land of the second best cheddar in the world, Sam got his start as an outdoor professional by logging many hours in the woods and on the mountains and waters of Vermont. Since 2010, Sam has led clients on all of the tours Pangaea has to offer, has served as the resident handy man, is a nasty mechanic, obtained his Master License and captained Pangaea's water taxis, and has operated as a manager and guide trainer. Sam is neither bashful nor unlearned in the flora and fauna of the region so even though he looks like he just crawled out from the depths of the Mayflower Star's engine room, don't be shy about asking him a question!

Pete Cueno

Pete Cueno (pronounced Cwain-yo) emerged from the caves of Maquoketa, Iowa where he spent 18 years wrestling corn bears and breaking hearts before earning his B.S. at the “Harvard of the Midwest,” as well as the title of “Third Most Successful Cueno Child.” After reaching his full potential in the heartland, Pete set off to become Pangaea’s most triple rectified guide, whose wilderness experience, in addition to his countless sea kayak, backpack, and raft expeditions, ranges from alpine ascents in Patagonia to backcountry snowboard trips throughout the Western United States. In his many years with Pangaea, the Sweeter Sueño has led every single trip on the menu, as well as operated as general manager, whitewater extraordinaire, and guide-training guru. He is a witty fountain of knowledge and will lay down his all to ensure that you have the best experience possible. This guy is the real deal.

Thomas Mooney-Myers

"Mas" came to us after having developed his love of sea kayaking and whitewater in the Pacific Northwest. As comfortable charging the rapids of Keystone Canyon as he is paddling in the serene beauty of Columbia Bay, Thomas will make you will feel confident and at ease on any trip out with him. He's a quick-wit and always has a fun, positive buzz about him. Well known for his insatiable appetite for knowledge, Thomas cannot wait to fill your ear with all of the interesting factoids he has bottled up inside. Feel free to snuggle up close, and ask why the baby seal is his spirit animal.

Mike Dooley

Mike Dooley, aka "Dooley", aka "Baldy", is a legend around Pangaea. He first joined the team as an arctic intern, then returned as a lead guide for many years, and now often helps out with training. He is a most enthusiastic guide with a true love for what he does. Graduating with a degree in Environmental Education and also becoming an NOLS kayaking instructor, Dooley is sure to teach you a thing or two. If you ever have the good fortune of meeting this genuine pleasure, be sure to ask him about his cheeseburger addiction, or unmistakable support for the Boston Bruins.

Kate Klibansky

Kate Klibansky, otherwise known as "Giggles", is one of our all-time favorite guides at Pangaea. Be it navigating icebergs or rapids, Kate's guidance is as fun, professional, and personable as it gets. A major fan of Alaskan grandeur, Maine whitewater and Utah powder, Kate is kind, smart, giggly, and an absolute pleasure to be around.

Ruby Rose

Born and raised in Valdez, meet our team mascot, Ruby! She’s Australian Shepherd and Australian Cattle Dog, but her red heeler genes run strong. She loves swimming and playing frisbee most, but will join any adventure you take her on. She enjoys biking, hiking, kayaking, sun bathing and boat rides and is always on the hunt for a stinky salmon carcass. Ruby joined the Duffy family and Pangaea team in 2017 and is always making new friends. Stop by our office to say hello sometime, and look out for her many siblings around town!